Automobile fender construction



Aug. 24, 1948. COLANER, SR 2,447,398

AUTOMOBILE FENDER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 20, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Louis COLANER lNV'NTU/P Aug. 24, 1948. L. COLAN ER, sR 2,447,898

AUTOMOBILE FENDER C ONSTRUCTION Filed March 20, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FILE: E.

Lows COLANER #wm rm.

Aug. 24, 1948. L. COLANER, SR 2,447,893

r AUTOMQBiLE FENDER CONSTRUCTION Filed March 20, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG: [5.

Louls COLANER m/mvro/a 7 33 30 q IIIII Patented Aug. 24, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Louis Colaner, Sr., Freehold, N. J.

Application March 20, 1947, Serial No. 736,039

2 Claims. (c1. zen-152i The invention herein disclosed relates to the construction and mounting of automobile fenders.

General objects of the invention are to provide a fender construction which without departing from present styling practice, will afford access to engine and other parts which at present are largely obstructed or covered by the fenders.

Special objects of the invention are to enable the conversion of cars of modern design to attain the objects first stated.

Particular objects of the invention are to provide a practical construction which will hold the fenders firmly and safely in place and which will permit of the fenders being swung away from the sides of the car or, if desired, lifted clear off the car.

Related objects are to provide the means for accomplishing such results in a form which will be entirely concealed and out of the way but which will be fully accessible if the occasion requires.

Other objects of the invention are to enable adjustments beingmade to fit and maintain the fenders in proper, close engagement with the sides of the car body.

Further objects of the invention are to enable the utilization of the fenders to effect illumination of the engine or other parts within the body of the car.

Other desirable objects attained by the invention will appear in thecourse of the following specification.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrate certain present practical embodiments of the invention but structure may be modified and changed in various ways, all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. 1 in the drawings is a side elevation of the front end portion of an automobile equipped with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken side view showing one fender released and swung outwardly and forwardly, directing the light from the headlamp carried thereby, rearwardly into the engine compartment; i

Fig. 3 is a broken plan view of the hood and fender portions of the car;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken front view of the fender structure appearing as on substantially the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a broken sectional detail of the latch or lock mechanism for securing the free swinging end of the fender;

Fig. 6 is a broken part sectional and perspective view of the latch mechanism;

Figs. 7 and 8 are broken sectional and perspective views of different forms of uprights for carrying the latch mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a broken part sectional perspective 1 view of a form of cross member for carrying the pivot studs for the fenders;

Fig. 10 is a broken detail of an angularly adjustable mounting for the fenders.

In the illustration, the front fenders i5 and I6 of the car shown are of usual or typical design, lying close to the car body and having upright inner walls I! covering and closing in the sides of the motor compartment l8.

In the present disclosure these fenders are modified to the extent of having brackets l9 attached to the under sides of the same, at the front, and carrying upright sleeves 20 pivotally engaged on substantially vertical studs 2|.

These studs are shown secured by nut and cotter pin fastenings 22 in the slots 23, Fig. 9, of a cross bar 24 secured by mounting plate 25 on the front cross member of the frame 26, and embraced in that relation by brackets 21.

This construction permits of anylateral adjustment required to set the pivot studs in position where the fenders will swing in close and fit tightly against the sides of the body and frame.

In addition to the lateral adjustment described, provision may be made for tilting or angular adjustment of the fenders to fit the body, by a construction like that shown in Fig. 10, where the pivot sleeve 20 is shown as having a plate 28 attached thereto and which is connected with the fender carrying bracket H! by bolts 29 in arcuate slots 30. On loosening these bolts the fender may be rocked one way or the other to make it hug the side of the body, where it will then be held on tightening such bolts.

To prevent rattling, springs 3i are shown on 'the pivot studs 2| above the fender mounting sleeves 20, held by cotter pin and nut fastenings 32. Bearing washers 33 are indicated on the studs at the lower ends of the sleeves.

.Tohold the rearward, free swinging ends of the fenders safely and securely, special fastenings are provided consisting, in the illustration, of wedge keys or pins 34 pivotally carried by levers 35 in position to extend through hasps 36 projecting inward from the fenders through slots 31 in the uprights 38 on which the levers are mounted, Figs. 5 and 6.

The securing levers 35 are shown pivotally supported at 39 on the uprights 38 and as locked in their securing positions by pivoted latch levers 40, toothed to engage notches 4| in the pivotal head portions of the securing levers.

Additionally the fenders are shown as secured at the bottom by hooks 42 designed to extend through keeper openings 43 in the lower ends of the upright bars 38. These hooks 42 and the hasps or staple loops 36 are shown as carried by upright bars 44 attached to the inner sides of the fenders.

The bars 38 carrying the fender securingwedges 34 and hooks 42, may be mounted on the frame 26 as by through bolts 45, Figs. and 6, or by clamps such as indicated at 46 and 41, Figs. 7 and 8, designed to wholly or partlyembrace the side members of the frame, the mounting of such parts depending to an extent upon the particular design and construction of the car body and frame.

The fender securing levers 35 and latches 40 are shown as located Within the engine compartment, where they can be reached only after the hood :18 is opened, as in Fig. 2. Thus the fender securing means is safe against unauthorized tampering.

When, however, the hood is unlocked and opened, the latches 49 are accessible and can be quickly released to permit the handle levers 35 being pulled to withdraw the locking wedges 34. Then with a slight lif-ti'ng movement on the fend'ert-h'e hook it may be released from slot 43 and the fender swung outwardly and forwardly on its pivot stud, either part-way or to a fully reversed position'such asshown in Fig. 2.

In the latter instance the headlamp will shine rearwardly and may be used to illuminate the engine compartment or other parts to the rear.

Te facilitate-manipulation of the fende'r,-a hand grip'or grips 56 may be provided on the outer, rearward end portion of the fender.

I-f space at the side'o'f the car is limited so'that the fender cannot be swung outward as much as desirable, the entire fender can be taken off by first unlocking it at-therearward' end as'd'escribed, and then, after removing the cotter pin.

mat-ic'ally tighten with vibr'atien, thus to'hold'th'e The engaging parts may fenders snugly in place. be strippedwith rubber, felt or thel'ike to 'prevent rattle and noise. The cross" bar carrying: the pivot studs forms a secondary bumper bar on the-front cross member of the'frarne, strengthening and protecting the parts to this additional.

extent. 7

The fenders arenot marred or evenohetn-ged in appearance, except, possibly; byth'eaddition. of the -handgrips 5B, whichneed not be'obje'ctionable in appearance.

The fenders, therefore, serve theirfiill useful and ornamental purposes. They" cover" and pro-- tectthe engine at the sides in their normali 'osi tion; but they may be quickly opened outward;

fender is so deep as to require it, the fender may be lifted bodily to any necessar extent to clear the wheel, as it is being swung outwardly away fromthe bod-yi In the opened position shown in" Fig. 2, the fenders fully expose the front wheels, brakes, knee actions, axle and other parts requiring attention and servicing.

What is claimed is:

1. Inanautomobile having a frame structure, an engine hood, wheel fenders at the sides of the hood and forwardly directed headlights on the fenders, said fenders being separate from the hood and said hood being hinged at one end enabling it to be raised independently of the tenders upstanding pivot studs onthe front end o'f'tlie frame at opposite sides of the same, bearings' on the fenders p'ivotally engaged on said pivot studs; said bearings being disposed at the front ends and toward the outer edges of the fendersenabling them to lie-swung outwardly and forwardly into substantially completely reversed rel'a tibn so 'that'the headlights carried thereby will be directed-'- inwardly toward engine parts normally covered by the hood, and quick releasable means for securing the rearward ends of the fendersnormal position at the: sides of the hood.

'22 In an automobile having a frame structure, engine hood wheel fenders at the sides of the hood and forwardly directed headlights on the fenders, said fenders being separate from the hood and said hood being hing-edat one end en'- abli ngii t to be raised indeperrdently of'the fenders, vertical pivot *m'eazis mounting the forward ends of the fenders on the forward end at opposite sides of the frame structure and at the outer edge thereof enabling them to be swung outwareuy and forwardly into substantially som pletely reversed relation with the headlights carried thereby directed inwardly toward engine parts normally covered 'byth'ehood, means for securing the rearward ends of the tenders in normal position at the sides of the hood;- said means being so comtructed and arranged as to ermit'iquick (release thereof, said vertical pivot" CIT-ED The following references are of reoord 'in'the file of this pater-113 2 UNITED PATENTS 

